Viva Las Vegas!
by Balin Lord of Moria
Summary: Obi-Wan and Satine, Anakin and Padmé, Ahsoka and Barriss, and Hondo and the youngling clan go to Las Vegas and visit six of its family-friendly resort/casinos: Circus, Circus, The Luxor, The Mirage, Mandalay Bay, Excalibur, and Treasure Island. The adults enjoy the spas, the fine dining, and the gambling, while the youngsters play like party animals and enjoy the sights.
1. Introduction

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_; Lucas, Filoni, and Disney do. It's been some years since I was last in Las Vegas, too, so my memory of it isn't perfect.

* * *

"So, I guess this is the place?" asked Padmé. Through a little inexplicable time and dimension travel, the following people from the Clone Wars had arrived in a certain gaming establishment on Earth: Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Duchess Satine Kryze, Ahsoka Tano, Barriss Offee, Hondo Ohnaka and his pirates, and a gang of Jedi younglings, Katooni, Petro, Byph, Gungi, Zatt, and Ganodi.

"It looks like it," said Obi-Wan, "Especially considering that sign that says, 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada.'"

"Now, let's not forget that we're here on a family-oriented vacation," Satine reminded everyone, especially the younglings, "We're not taking Ahsoka or the younglings to any of these more adult-oriented resorts like the Rio, the Casino Royale, or the Golden Nugget, understand?"

"I understand perfectly, Duchess," said Ahsoka pleasantly.

"So do we," said Petro, "although that Stratosphere tower resort looked awfully tempting."

"With respect to your wishes, Duchess," said Hondo, "some of my boys prefer the nightlife of the more adult-like resorts and casinos, so they'll be separating from the rest of us temporarily. I heard that Gwarm and some of the other, more pragmatic members of my band, are going to see the magic duo that call themselves 'Penn & Teller' at the Rio, and then try out the lovely Tropicana hotel."

"That's fine with us," said Obi-Wan, "as long as none of them trick Katooni or any of the other young Jedi into going with them."

"Frankly," said Anakin, "I don't think it's right to see guys like Penn & Teller in action with their phony illusionist magic, even if they _are_ honest about it. The Force is real, and I believe that such false magic is an insult to the Force's power. They have no faith in a higher being."

"Some of my boys may beg to differ, Skywalker," said Hondo, "We respect you Jedi using this Force, but we have no use for it ourselves."

"I agree with Anakin," said Barriss, "The Force deserves more respect than it gets. But since I'm a couple years over 21 years old, and I happen to have found this Earth-like ID card in my pocket, I want to try the casinos. I'm a betting woman, and after my experience with Sabacc, I want to try my luck with this game they call Poker, as well as some of the others."

"I almost wish I was the right age to play with you, Barriss," said Ahsoka, "It's one of the few times I regret not being a full-fledged adult yet. But I hear that there are other forms of entertainment on the Las Vegas Strip, including gaming sections for kids called 'video arcades,' and I'd like to see what they're like."

"Video arcades?" said Zatt excitedly, "Does that mean technological games? I'd love to see some of those!"

"Do they have animated action?" asked Ganodi eagerly. Byph and Gungi spoke enthusiastically in their own native tongues.

"I'm sure they do," said Obi-Wan, "But don't get so eager to play them that you get separated from each other, understand? We don't want you to get lost!"

"Don't worry, Master Obi-Wan," said Ahsoka, smiling, "I'll keep an eye on them the whole time."

"And I'll help," said Hondo, "at least, as often as I can spare my eyes."

"Why don't I find that encouraging?" remarked Ahsoka.

"Relax, young Ahsoka," said Hondo condescendingly, "I wouldn't let your young charges down, would I? Especially not little Katooni, my personal favorite of their group."

Katooni blushed slightly. "Uh, thanks, Hondo," she said, "I appreciate it, but don't get too preoccupied with looking after me. Remember when we were fleeing General Grievous on Florrum? I had to remind you to keep your promise to look out for _all of us _when we escaped in the _Slave I_."

"Yes, yes, of course, Katooni," said Hondo, "For you, I will do almost anything."

"And I don't want you getting lost or carried away either, Ahsoka," said Anakin, "Can you remember that, too?"

"Of course, Master," said Ahsoka with a cocky smile, "It's like I told you before. You taught me well. I can handle anything."

Anakin grinned back. "Don't get cocky!"

"All right, then," said Satine, "For the sake of inexpensive prices and peace and quiet, we're staying in the Orleans Hotel, which is a ways off the Strip. Which family friendly resort should we visit first tomorrow?"

"Circus, Circus!" said all the younglings with enthusiasm.

"Okay, then," said Obi-Wan, "Tomorrow, the young Jedi get their way."

"Oh, don't tell me I have to sit through another performance of the 'Animal Instincts' again!" groaned Hondo.

"Relax, Hondo," said Katooni, "If we get in the ring again, I promise there won't be any more tricks."

"I certainly hope not," said Ahsoka, "I think you kids have gotten yourselves into the animal act a little too much lately."

"Aw, come on, Ahsoka," begged Petro, "We may be Jedi, but we can be acrobats and entertainers, too, and if we knew what we were doing last time, we will this time, too."

"You're not thinking of joining the performance, are you?" asked Ganodi, the only one of the six younglings who didn't participate in the Animal Instincts act.

"Oh, I don't know," said Petro. "Maybe. Why don't you join us if we do? It'll be fun."

"Oh, goodie!" Ganodi clapped her hands. Ahsoka and Hondo shared a knowing look.


	2. Circus, Circus

_**Circus, Circus**_

* * *

The Circus, Circus Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas was one heck of a cute looking resort, Katooni thought. Although the towers where the hotel rooms were stationed looked relatively ordinary, particularly when compared to Coruscant's skyscrapers, the outside of the Adventuredome was amazing enough to look at. She had heard that it was Earth's largest permanent circus pavilion. She also liked the sign that advertised the resort's presence to drivers on the Strip, complete with a funny-faced clown holding a handful of balloons. Katooni had always loved clowns, and this sign looked like the gateway to a place of opportunity and adventure. Byph, in contrast, was a little edgy around clowns; his preference at the circus was the acrobats. Gungi loved the animals, and the other three kids had a fairly mixed love for everything.

Needless to say, the younglings and, to a slightly lesser extent, Ahsoka, were the ones the most eager to have fun at this place. As eager as they were to see the clowns, though, Petro insisted that they try the thrill rides in the Adventuredome first, and Zatt and Gungi had backed him up. The adults put Hondo and Ahsoka in charge of the children, provided them with some all-day riding passes, and went further inside to take a look around for the casino and other activities.

Soon the six of them were looking at the rides and picking and choosing which ones they wanted to go on. Zatt, being the water-based Nautolan that he was, wanted to ride the Rim Runner, a water flume boat ride. Petro went with him. Petro boasted that he could do a better job of holding his stomach on a ride like this than Zatt could, but Zatt knew better. In fact, as they twisted and turned with the other kids and parents, and eventually went down the 60-foot drop waterfall, Petro was as dizzy as heck, and Zatt felt as much like himself as he always did.

"I told you you were wrong, Petro," said Zatt confidently.

"So I'm not perfect," said Petro, "So what? I still did a better job than you at keeping my seat. Your skin is so slick when it touches water, I'm amazed you didn't slip out of your seat and tumble down the waterfall!"

"That is not so, Petro!" said Zatt. "Master Kit Fisto can keep a good grip on anything underwater, and so can I!"

"Well, at least you have the advantage of being able to breathe water just like you can breathe air," Petro shot back.

"That's right," said Zatt, "And that's why I'll always be your superior on water-based rides."

Petro punched him in the arm lightly.

Meanwhile, Gungi went on the Sling Shot, a ride that shot him and the other passengers into the sky at 4 g's of acceleration, and then back down again for a maximum head rush. The ride wasn't entirely suitable for someone his age, but he was the tallest of his youngling clan, and managed to assure the confused ticket handler that he had no problem with these kind of rides, so he was allowed to ride it. He rode it repeatedly. It left him "high" for hours.

To her disappointment, Ganodi was not allowed to go on any of the premium rides due to her short height and extra young age, but she _was_ allowed to ride the junior rides. She felt a little babyish, but the other little tykes found her surprisingly likeable for something not of Earth, and she had a ball riding the Frog Hopper tower ride, the mini-roller-coaster Miner Mike, and the Thunderbirds "airplane" ride, and she taught some of the little boys and girls some interesting game moves in the Cliffhangers play area. Ahsoka was watching over her like a babysitter, she hadn't failed to notice, and it embarrassed her a little, but most of the time, Ganodi felt joy at what she was doing.

After the Rim Runner, Zatt and Petro joined Byph at the Lazer Blast Laser Tag Arena, where some of the teens were baffled by Byph's appearance and manner of speaking, but Petro managed to smooth relations over a little. In the laser game arena, Byph played on the green team while Zatt and Petro played on the red team. Although they were used to training with lightsabers, not guns, with a little Force assistance, the three of them were able to help their respective teams gain an advantage over each other as they plotted ambushes and surprise attacks and shot each other with their toy laser guns in their specially designed vests. But even though there were two Jedi kids on the red team and only one on the green team, in the end, Byph's green team won. Petro and Zatt couldn't figure out how he did it, but he explained that while he couldn't speak Basic, or English, as they called it on Earth, he was good at using signs and hand signals to communicate with those who couldn't understand his language.

"Wonders will never cease to amaze me, Petro," said Zatt, shaking his head.

"Me neither," said Petro, "Although I _was_ amazed that we were successful at smoothing relations with Byph and the other kids so quickly."

"You never know with Earth kids," said Zatt, "It's like they've seen our kind somewhere before, or elsewhere."

"Yeah, I thought I heard one of them whisper something about seeing Glee Anselm at some ride called 'Star Tours,'" admitted Petro.

"Hey, that sounds like a ride that Alderaanian Captain Raymus Antilles fronts for Senator Bail Organa," said Zatt, "But how could they know about it?"

"I don't know, Zatt," said Petro, "I just don't know."

As for Katooni and Hondo, Katooni took a stronger interest in the motion-simulator rides than in the carnival rides, and Hondo agreed to ride with her as long as they didn't ride anything too childish. This particular show showed a high-speed chase to protect the animals of the rainforest from an out-of-control Robot Butterfly.

"Hey, Hondo," said Katooni excitedly, "I didn't know such entertainment like this existed! It's like we're literally part of the ride!"

"Yes, I know," said Hondo, "I myself feel as if I've been drinking too much again, but then, I enjoy a good drink now and then, and now, I like this drink-I mean, this ride!"

"I don't think this is the sort of place to talk about drinking, Hondo," said Katooni, noticing a funny look a mother of a girl slightly younger than Katooni was giving them.

"Oh, that's all right," said Hondo, "I didn't mean it. Today's another day when I like children."

* * *

Meanwhile, the older patrons of Circus, Circus from a galaxy far, far away were dividing themselves up between the salon facilities and the casino.

"So," said Obi-Wan, "you said you wanted to get a manicure and a pedicure, Satine?"

"Absolutely, Obi-Wan," said Satine, "A Duchess must look presentable not only in office, but also in her private life. I think I should have the best looking hands and feet I've had in a long time."

"I agree with Satine," said Padmé. "Although I think the manicure will be enough for me this time. "I was thinking my friends in the Senate and among the Jedi," here she gave Anakin a glance, "and possibly also Threepio, might decide that I look even more presentable with my beautifully tailored senatorial dresses. I'm not sure if Palpatine will care, or senators like Ask Aak and Orn Free Taa, but Bail, Mon Mothma, and Riyo Chuchi might like them."

"I'm sure you'll look great, with or without a manicure, Padmé," said Anakin with a slight smile. Obi-Wan gave him a raised eyebrow.

"Thank you, Anakin," Padmé replied, "But I think I'll stick with the manicure, myself."

"That's fine," said Anakin, "I didn't say you shouldn't have one. I just thought that even without one, you're beautiful, for a senator, of course."

"Well, thank you Anakin," Padmé said, smiling.

"I don't mind manicures and pedicures myself," said Barriss, "but today, I think I'd like to see the casino. And I wouldn't mind stopping by some quick dining place for a bite to eat, either."

"I think I'll stay with the ladies, if that's all right, Master," said Anakin, "to keep them company, and maybe I can get something, too."

"So will I, Anakin," said Obi-Wan. "I think Satine needs my company."

"I knew she was your girlfriend," grinned Anakin.

Obi-Wan said indignantly, "She's not my girlfriend, Anakin!" Satine just smirked. "Oh, well, may the Force be with you at the casino, Barriss."

"Thanks, Obi-Wan," said Barriss.

* * *

Barriss was initially torn between having a quick bite at the Westside Deli and the Circus Buffet, but she eventually chose the Deli, because it was slightly faster, and she had a taste for deli stuff. She ordered a pastrami sandwich on rye bread with a cup of water and a side of fruit salad.

Then she went on to the casino. Actually, there were three casinos in the whole resort, and she admired the elegance and attractiveness of the one she found first. Browsing the casino for a few minutes, she soon settled on a Poker table. Most of the people seated there were Caucasian men, and they were surprised to see an ornately-dressed young woman with hand and facial tattoos and an apparently slightly Indian/Middle Eastern skin tone asking to play with them, but they accepted, thinking that she might be an easy one to milk of her profits.

But Barriss was a skilled gambler, because while many Jedi frowned on that activity, Barriss saw nothing wrong with it so long as she never allowed it to turn her to the dark side, and she had had a lot of practice on Drongar with the similar card game, Sabacc. She played with skill, doing a good job of putting on a "Poker face" when necessary, and soon three of the other men had opted out of the game after losing a lot of their money. Barriss managed to put together a flurry of hands with three of a kinds, flushes, and a full house, and finally managed to win a jackpot on a bluff, her straight against her one remaining opponent's flush.

"You play like a broad with nothing to lose," he wisecracked.

Barriss, not liking the term "broad," merely said, "I've been out of circulation for a while, and I'd like to make up for it, gentlemen."

"I like that attitude," said the dealer, "Circus, Circus needs more hotshot lady players like you."

Barriss almost cringed at being called a hotshot player.

In the meantime, the others had finished at the salon. Satine and Padmé had let their hair down for no extra charge, and Obi-Wan and Anakin had complimented their new dos profusely. They joined Barriss at the casino. Sensing her presence at the Poker table, they decided to try other games. Satine tried her luck at Blackjack, Anakin, ever the lover of excitement, played Craps, Padmé took interest in one of the Roulette wheels, and Obi-Wan humbly settled for the Big Six Wheel of Fortune.

If Barriss was the best gambler among them, Anakin was probably the worst, because he was used to things turning out for the better for him and those whom he cared for, and wasn't used to playing games of chance. Nonetheless, he did manage to win a little at the Craps table. Padmé won modestly, but what she liked better was the elegance of the Roulette table and wheel. _They should have something like this in casinos back at home_. Satine enjoyed Blackjack enough to call it one of her new favorite games. And Obi-Wan wondered as he played if the Big Six Wheel was influenced by the Force in any way. In fact, at one point where he was losing rapidly, he secretly did a little Force-influence to the wheel to make it turn in his favor, although using Force-influence for fun or to take advantage of others was wrong, according to the Jedi.

* * *

Ultimately, Ahsoka, Hondo, and the younglings tired of Adventuredome, and were on their way to check out some other things in the resort. Soon, they came across Midway, the ever-popular non-gambling gaming area of Circus, Circus. They also noticed that not too far away was the big top where the circus acts were performed. They "drew straws" on which place they'd check out first, and Midway won. So, in a few minutes, the six Jedi kiddies were indulging themselves in the fun and games to be found everywhere.

The kids found this to be even more delightful than the Adventuredome. Petro tried a horse racing game. Katooni and Ganodi rode the merry-go-round near the Horse-A-Round Bar. Zatt eagerly entered the video arcade. Gungi played a baseball/kewpie doll game, and then a darts and balloons game, playing each for a long time. Petro moved on to play some "blue daylight" air hockey with a few boys he didn't know, winning almost every time. Almost. Byph fiddled around with one of those claw machine games and got a plush cat for his trouble. Ganodi moved on to Skee-Ball, which she challenged Ahsoka to compete with her on. Katooni played her best, which was pretty good, on a ring-toss game. Hondo abstained from playing any of the "kiddie games," but he did ride on the merry-go-round once to humor Katooni, who had begged him to have fun with _something_ in Midway.

After about an hour, they took a break to have their own bite to eat. They elected to chow down at a fast food restaurant with golden arches near the circus stage area, called McDonald's. They all had fun eating something greasy and tepid from the most popular fast food franchise on Earth. Katooni had a Cheeseburger, Ganodi, Chicken McNuggets, because burgers were a little tricky for her to eat with her fish-like mouth, Petro, a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Byph, the vegetarian of the group, a salad, Gungi, a Big Mac, Zatt, a Double Cheeseburger, Ahsoka, a chicken sandwich, and Hondo, a McRib, and all of them, even Byph, had McDonald's World Famous Fries. They gossiped with each other about their winnings in the games they played. Ganodi had beaten Ahsoka at Skee-Ball. Katooni had two plush toys, an elephant and a tiger, from playing ring-toss. Petro boasted of winning so much at air hockey he was confident he could do anything. Ahsoka laughed at this. In addition to his little stuffed cat, Byph also got Lizzie the Rampage lizard and a skateboard. Gungi had a stuffed lion toy and some colorful candy. And Zatt had aced arcade games such as Ms. Pac-Man, Defender, Space Invaders, and Asteroids.

* * *

When their meal was finished, it was time to check out the next circus show. Hondo had a little surprise for them. He knew that they were interested in recreating their acrobatic act, the "Animal Instincts," in front of loving viewers, only this time for fun instead of while undercover. "Why watch the circus when you can _be_ the circus?" he reasoned. The owners of the big top said that they didn't accept out-of-the-blue performers to just walk in and take over their daily acts, but Hondo and the kids had their ways of convincing them to change their minds. First, Katooni and the other children demonstrated their Force-enhanced acrobatic abilities. This time, Ganodi was also in on the fun, though. Then, Hondo offered a little bribe in American money to the producers. They weren't really sure, but, to Ahsoka's slight disapproval, Petro used a small mind trick to convince them to give in.

As Ahsoka, shaking her head in amusement and annoyance simultaneously, and Hondo, sat down in some empty seats, the ringleader announced that there was a change in plans for one performance. One day only, an act of "alien kids" was going to perform their Animal Instincts act. Needless to say, the audience was surprised to see some little kids doing a jig where everyone except Katooni did playful acrobatic antics as animals, while she did her own as a costumed human. Gungi was a miniature elephant, Byph, a clown, Petro, a chimp, Zatt, a tiger, and Ganodi, a bear. They didn't have the costumes or the authority to use costumes from their own universe.

The performance lasted about an hour. The audience was yucking it up, to say the least. The younglings really knew their stuff when it came to somersaulting, dancing, hoop tossing, directing real animals, and tightroping. Petro made a good juggler. Byph enjoyed riding a unicycle. Gungi was quite the trapeze artist. Zatt walked on the tightrope, and Ganodi balanced on a round circus ball. And Katooni did her own acrobatics and directed the trained animals like a veteran. Sometimes, they would pause and interact with the guests in the audience, especially Katooni and Petro. In the end, even Ahsoka was enjoying the show, and so was Hondo.

"I guess one doesn't have to drink to enjoy this kind of entertainment," said Hondo.

"Hey," said Ahsoka, "You mention drinking in here one more time, and I'll send you to rejoin the other adults in our 'family.'"

"Ooh, temper, temper," said Hondo, "That's not being very nice. You should watch your manners, young one."

"Just control yourself, okay, Hondo?" Ahsoka insisted.

"Anything you say, young Jedi," he smiled.

After the show, the younglings were congratulated for their great performance under the big top. "Are you _sure_ you can't come back sometime?" the producer asked.

"Well, I suppose it may not be impossible," Ahsoka spoke for them, "But we have other resort/casinos to visit here, too, and we have to go someplace far, far away from here when we're finished."

"Well," said the producer, "it was still a pleasure having you here."

"Thanks, mister!" the younglings said together.

Ahsoka could see that Katooni and the others were getting a little tired from all their physical exertion, and she proposed that they check out some of the shops and see if there were any souvenirs worth taking home.

* * *

They stopped in several stores. All eight of them collected some postcards of Las Vegas and Circus, Circus Hotel/Casino from Exclusively Circus, Circus and Circus Gifts. Hondo got himself a drink from Circus Spirits, and bought some milk and juices for the kids; Ahsoka declined to buy a drink. They got solid snacks from places like Market Express and Sweet Tooth, and the kids, particularly Katooni, Petro and Ganodi bought some very cheap souvenirs and keepsakes from the Under $10 store. What delighted the kids the most, however, was Circus Kids, where they could get all kinds of toys and clothing for relatively cheap prices. Ahsoka went inside with them to supervise them as they browsed.

During this, Hondo was reunited with Obi-Wan, Anakin, and the ladies, who had left the casino some time ago.

"Ah, good to see my old friends again!" said Hondo, "What's your pleasure tonight?"

"Hello to you, too, Hondo," said Obi-Wan dryly, as was his habit, "May I ask where all the others are? I trust you've all had a fun, and _safe_, day today?"

"We sure have, Kenobi," said Hondo. "And as to where they are, little Ahsoka is giving those kiddies a tour of the Circus Kids store. They had a ball riding rides in the Adventuredome, playing games in Midway, and performing in the circus act."

"They performed in the circus?" said a disbelieving Barriss. "How could that be so? I thought strangers couldn't just butt in on someone else's circus show."

"Yes, I thought that, too," said Padmé.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Hondo assured them, "It just took a little of my cold hard cash and a little kiddie persuasion with the Jedi's Force to convince them."

They stared. Then Obi-Wan burst out laughing. "That's little children and a bribing pirate for you," he said between laughs, "But I thought you wouldn't part with your money for anything, you, a pirate. That's not the Hondo Ohnaka _I_ know."

"Oh, little Katooni and Ahsoka can convince me to do a lot of things, you know," Hondo remarked, "Although I'd appreciate it if you don't talk too much about what you just heard, Jedi!"

"Relax, Hondo," said Anakin, "We mature Jedi are not gossipers. Your secret is safe with us."

"And Padmé and I have no reason to tell other people whose business it isn't, either," said Satine.

"Well, good," said Hondo, "So, how did your own gaming go in the casino?"

"I managed to impress a lot of card sharks in a Poker game," smiled Barriss.

"I think Blackjack is a new favorite game of mine," said Satine.

"The Roulette wheel is quite lovely," said Padmé, "And if you know how to bet right, which I didn't, you can win a lot."

"Craps is a lot harder for me to play than I thought," said Anakin.

"My money was mostly depleted at the Big Six Wheel," said Obi-Wan.

"And in one of the gift shops, I just bought a deck of Circus, Circus-style playing cards," said Barriss, holding up her purchase.

"Oh, well, you win some, you lose some," said Hondo, "Even pirates know that well. The kiddies have so many winnings and purchases I don't know where they're going to put it all at dinner. And I'm sure that they're coming out with even more right now."

Indeed, for they came out of the store with Ahsoka just then, and Ahsoka was carrying a few stuffed bags full of clothes and toys.

"Wow, did we have fun today, or what!" Zatt exclaimed.

"I could sure attract some attention at the Jedi Temple with this Circus, Circus-themed T-shirt," said Katooni.

"With this circus ball," said Petro, "I'm gonna show General Grievous that he can't kill a good acrobat and entertainer!"

Ganodi giggled as she hugged her own toys to her chest.

"Well," said Obi-Wan, "it's getting late in the day. In fact, it's almost 6:00 PM in this time zone. What do you all say we get some dinner at one of the fine establishments here, and then return to the Orleans to rest and sleep?"

"I agree to that," said Satine, and then Anakin and Padmé.

"Sounds fine with me," said Barriss. "I agree," said Ahsoka. "Same here," said Hondo.

"Yeah, let's have another meal!" the younglings said.

* * *

They decided to save the finer dining for the more elegant and expensive hotel/casinos, and ate a very simple dinner at the Circus Buffet. Obi-Wan wasn't the type of person to spend a lot of money on something luxurious, so he had some wafer-cut sandwiches. Satine and Padmé were living the good life. They had lobster and a salad with heavy dressing, respectively. Anakin and Ahsoka had a few helpings of chicken; Anakin preferred his hot, while Ahsoka preferred hers cold. Barriss had some shrimp. Hondo had hot bouillon, while the younglings were treated with small cakes, frozen creams, and ices. Ahsoka, Barriss, and the younglings drank punch, while everyone else drank coffee.

Over supper, they went over their plans for the next day of their visit to Las Vegas. They were going to come there for six days, and visit one hotel/resort/casino on the Strip each day. They decided to draw lots for it, as the saying went in ancient times both on Earth and in their own galaxy. Fortunately, Barriss had bought some dice as well as her deck of playing cards. She, Padmé, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Satine rolled for the next resort stop, and the lot went to the Luxor, the hotel/casino with ancient Egypt as its theme.

"Hey, this might be interesting, guys," said Katooni, "I like learning about ancient civilizations."

"Aw, that stuff's boring, Katooni," said Ganodi. "Especially after all the fun we've had here. I love Circus, Circus!"

"Yeah," said Petro, "I've gotta be where the action is. You know that."

"Relax, younglings," said Ahsoka, "Education can be fun, just like games can be. Besides, there's plenty of family-friendly stuff in the Luxor, too. We're only going to family-friendly resort/casinos while we're here, remember?"

"Let's talk it more at our room at the Orleans, shall we?" suggested Padmé. "I'm tired, and I can relax and think better in our room or in the morning than while still active in a different hotel."

"Padmé's right, everyone," said Obi-Wan, "After we're finished here, I suggest we go back to our rooms at the Orleans and get some much needed rest. We'll need our energy in the morning."

"I couldn't agree more, Obi-Wan," said Hondo, "These kiddos are bursting with energy, but even I know that kids need to rest some time, and I'm not going to babysit a bunch of brats who deliberately avoided getting their rest."

"Hey, don't call us brats, Hondo!" said Zatt.

"You're not brats right now," said Hondo, "But you _will _be if you don't get your rest. And Hondo Ohnaka doesn't babysit complainers and whiners, not even good little Katooni here."

"Don't worry, Hondo," said Katooni, smiling, "I'll get my rest, at least."

"Good girl," said Hondo, "I knew I could trust you."

"Then if we're going to get back to our room and get some rest, let's stop talking and finish eating, and then do it!" suggested Barriss.


	3. The Luxor

_**The Luxor**_

* * *

Barriss had once mentioned to Katooni that the pyramids of ancient Egypt were one of the greatest wonders of the world, something she once learned in her studies of extragalactic civilizations at the Jedi Temple. _If that's true, _Katooni reasoned, _then the Luxor must be one of the greatest wonders of Las Vegas. This place makes me feel as if I've been transported back to ancient Egypt, and I don't even know all the details about what Egypt was like._

"Those towers on the side of the pyramid house hotel rooms," explained Barriss to her and the other younglings, "and I hear they're very good rooms, but it's a special treat to get a room in the main building, the pyramid. The rooms there are decorated in 'updated Egyptian style.' And the topmost point of the pyramid is the brightest light ever made on the Earth, which can be seen from ten miles in space. One unique feature they have is that the walls by the windows are slanted diagonally, due to the shape of the pyramid, although one advantage to the tower rooms is that they have a bathtub in addition to a shower."

"If we could've afforded it," said Katooni, "it might have been nice to stay in a place like this, even though I think I prefer a bathtub to a shower."

"Me too," said Zatt.

"I'd love to see that light at night when we go back to the Orleans," said Ahsoka.

"I think we'd all find it fascinating," said Obi-Wan, "if it truly is that bright."

"So," said Hondo, "how are we going to split up our time at this fine, fancy establishment? I hope you remember that we agreed we would alternate on who does the babysitting of the younglings."

Gungi growled. Ganodi said, "Don't call us babies, Hondo!"

"I said 'babysitting,' not 'babies,' kiddo," said Hondo impatiently.

"It's almost the same thing, Hondo," said Obi-Wan.

"There you go again, Kenobi," said Hondo to Obi-Wan, "always sticking up to the physically little, instead of the psychologically little like my boys and I."

"Hey, guys," said Anakin, "I don't normally stick up for Hondo, but I don't think we should get off the subject of his question here."

"I agree," said Padmé, "So who is going to watch over the children, besides Ahsoka?"

"Hondo helped out yesterday," said Barriss, "How about I help her out today? I could assist Katooni and the others with learning about the Egyptian culture."

"Aw, that again," said Ganodi, "Any education that doesn't have to do with the Force is _boring!_"

"Now, now, Ganodi," said Ahsoka, "Take it easy. I think this joint will be more fun than you think."

"In your dreams," said Ganodi with a frown.

"Ganodi," said Zatt, "if you're going to complain the whole day, it's not going to be any fun for the rest of us."

Byph voiced his agreement. So did Gungi.

"Yes, Ganodi," said Ahsoka, "Behave yourself, or one of us will have to take you back to your room at the Orleans early."

Ganodi pouted momentarily, but controlled herself. "Okay, okay," she said submissively.

"I, for one, wouldn't mind seeing some of these Egyptian exhibits myself," said Satine. "It looks to me like they had an interesting ruling system, what with their pharaohs, except that the pharaohs were more ruthless than I am, and led armies into war."

"That's fine with me," said Obi-Wan, "I'd like to see them, too."

"Same here," said Anakin. "Ditto," said Padmé.

"A pirate like me has no use for decayed exhibits of a country I never heard of before coming to this planet," said Hondo. "You want to know where I am, I'll be at the casino. If Jedi Offee says that the Poker tables are as good as all that, I want to get in on the action."

"Suits us fine," said Obi-Wan. "Good luck, Hondo."

"What? No begging me to stay? No suggestions that these exhibits might be better than I think?" said Hondo sarcastically.

"Not at all, Hondo," said Obi-Wan, "We don't mind if you prefer the games to the sights. You do what you like, and we'll do what we like."

"Well, _thank you_, Kenobi," Hondo wisecracked.

And with that, Hondo was off to find the Luxor's casino, while the others looked for something Egyptian to look at.

* * *

"I know a place where we can start," said Barriss, "There's a museum in here, called King Tut's Tomb Tour and Museum. It has some very authentic-looking replicas of the real exhibits in Egypt. Why don't we take a look there?"

"Sounds good to most of us," said Anakin, looking at the others and reading their feelings with the Force.

They walked the self-guided walking tour for fifteen minutes. Obi-Wan and Satine in particular turned indulgent eyes on the various idols and structures the Egyptians used in their culture and their religion as Barriss explained them to her best ability. Ahsoka commented that for some reason, the ancient Egyptians reminded her of her own people, the Togruta, in appearance as well as in ferocity. Katooni was wide-eyed the whole time. Zatt took a keen interest in the primitive machines of Egypt. Ganodi yawned. So did Petro. Gungi and Byph looked mildly interested.

Soon they came to the replica of the tomb itself, and Barriss brainstormed her memory of its history.

"According to history," said Barriss, "King Tut's full name was King Tutankhamen, and in the Earth year, 1922 A.D., a man named Howard Carter discovered the real tomb of King Tut, and it was labeled as one of the greatest archaeological finds of all time on Earth."

"It looks like it's made of pure gold," remarked Katooni.

"I agree," said Ahsoka. "Say, Barriss, is it true that the actual tomb in Egypt is made of real gold?"

"I believe so," said Barriss. "My knowledge of Egyptian culture and history isn't perfect, but I think that gold was easier to come by on certain parts of the Earth in those days."

"Are there any souvenirs that can be bought concerning this museum and its artifacts?" asked Katooni.

"Yes, in fact, there's one at the end of this tour, right here, called Tut's Treasures," Barriss claimed.

At the end of the tour, they entered Tut's Treasures, and Katooni bought a children's book about Tut and Egypt. Zatt also got a book about mummies and mummification. Ganodi was hopping like mad, as if she had to go to the bathroom really bad. As they left the store, she noticed something she had been hoping to find.

"Hey! Can I go and play in the Games of the Gods Arcade? _Please?_" Ganodi begged.

"You did behave well for the most part in the museum," said Obi-Wan, "It's all right with me. Do you agree, Ahsoka?"

"She might as well go there," said Ahsoka, "to give her something to burn off her energy. But I'd like to go with her to watch over her."

Byph and Gungi asked to go with Ganodi and Ahsoka.

"Fine with me," said Ahsoka, "Just behave yourselves. I can't watch all three of you at once unless you're all very close to each other."

Byph and Gungi nodded. "I'll behave myself," said Ganodi, "Now can I _please_ go there?"

"Fine," said Ahsoka, "Just don't run too far ahead of me."

"YES!" said Ganodi, darting for the arcade. Byph and Gungi followed. Ahsoka sprinted to keep up with them. Inside the GotG Arcade, Byph tried some of the state-of-the-art video games, while Gungi and Ganodi spent part of their time riding the motion simulators. Gungi rode the Indy 500, and Ganodi rode the Xtreme Powerboat. Gungi managed to outdrive all but one of his simulated opponents, of course, and Ganodi was the big winner on her own simulation ride.

Meanwhile, Zatt and Petro wanted to go swimming in one of the swimming pools. Padmé elected to keep an eye on them, and perhaps get a little swimming or tanning herself. Anakin advised her not to look too attractive in her swimsuit, because he didn't feel like getting jealous of any of the female-appreciating men in Vegas. Padmé agreed to wear a one-piece suit to compensate for that. Anakin and Obi-Wan chose to go to the casino and see how Hondo was doing, and then try to get lucky themselves, even though the Circus, Circus Casino had disappointed them the previous day. Satine went with Padmé, and she took a bikini with her, one that was somewhere in-between regular and string. And Barriss offered to take Katooni to see a few of the movies in the IMAX theater.

But first, they had a quick lunch at the Pyramid Café, where they each had something fast and inexpensive from a full menu. Anakin and Obi-Wan were discussing the ethics of using the Force to assist them with their gambling in the casino, because they recalled that Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan's old Jedi Master, had played a "loaded" game of dice with Watto the junk dealer on Tatooine, in order to bet on who would be freed from slavery first, Anakin or his mother. Barriss advised them to play fair, but if they're losing drastically at a game, a little Force influence might help to turn the tide a little, so none of them would go bankrupt. Satine and Padmé talked about getting a much needed tan, while Petro boasted of his endurance as a swimmer, and Zatt reminded him about how he could breathe underwater while Petro couldn't. The two boys started arguing quietly about who was the better swimmer. And Katooni asked Barriss to take her to the _Everest_ movie first, and then _Pirates 4D_, and then, if there was time, _Haunted Castle 3D_, to which Barriss consented.

* * *

In the casino, Anakin and Obi-Wan searched out Hondo, and found him playing Caribbean Stud Poker at one of the Poker tables. Hondo commented to them that he had lost a little at first, because the other card sharks had been reluctant to let a guy as ugly as him get their hands on any of their money. He suspected they were cheating, and he decided, "Two can play that game," so, while not exactly cheating, Hondo was playing some clever and sneaky, even cunning, moves that were making the Earthling humans very edgy and uncomfortable with the game. Nonetheless, he kept the game just in line with the gambling terms and laws of the casino, so as not to get arrested.

Leaving him to continue his cunning moves in the Poker game, the two Jedi brothers wanted to try one of the games of chance they hadn't tried yet, namely, the slot machines. Anakin had considered playing on one of the progressive slot machines where he could win a jackpot of millions, but Obi-Wan advised against it, due to what Masters Windu and Yoda might think. Anakin was tired of always being judged by the Jedi Council, but he decided that this time, Obi-Wan was right, so he played one of the ordinary machines alongside his friend.

For almost an hour, they kept pumping their one-armed bandits. Obi-Wan achieved a modest jackpot of about $100, but Anakin was getting frustrated, and a little bored, with the slots. "Master," he said, "I think a person like me can do a better job on a machine where I can have partial control over the outcome. I'm going to play on one of those Video Poker machines over there."

"Suit yourself, Anakin," said Obi-Wan, "I'm fine here. And we're on leave from our Jedi duties, not to mention in a place where Jedi formality is unnecessary. You can call me Obi-Wan."

Anakin grinned unexpectedly. "Okay, Obi-Wan." Obi-Wan smiled back.

Anakin chose one of the easier machines, a "Jacks or Better" machine, and played with a small bet at first, getting the hang of the game, later raising his bet to the maximum $5 and winning slightly more there than Obi-Wan had won at the slots. _This is even better than Craps,_ he thought, _and I can control my cards to a certain extent, too. This _is_ a good way to pass the time. Maybe Barriss should try one of these sometime._

* * *

In another part of the pyramid, Barriss and Katooni watched their IMAX movies, one by one. Barriss commented that small children weren't normally interested in this kind of story while they were watching _Everest_, but Katooni was amazed by the sight of the tallest mountain in the world, and said that if she could climb that ice wall in the Crystal Caves on Ilum, then Mount Everest was something she wished she could climb when she was older, because it impressed her to see those men and women climb the most difficult terrain on Earth. She also had sympathy for them when the icy temperatures and frostbite got to them. Later, while watching _Pirates 4D_, Katooni commented that she wished Hondo was there to see it, because the pirates were so hilarious, and that she wasn't surprised to hear that actor Leslie Nielsen was, in his older years, an excellent deadpan comedian. Finally, they saw _Haunted Castle 3D_, which Katooni regretted seeing, just a little bit. She was afraid that she would have nightmares when they went to bed that night, but Barriss reassured her that Jedi younglings didn't have nightmares.

* * *

And Satine, Padmé, and the other boys? The ladies were in their swimsuits and shades, sitting on lounge chairs, catching some rays. Fortunately, they had found some sunscreen somewhere to keep them from getting sunburned. Padmé was dazzling in her one-piece suit, but even though Satine was in her mid-thirties, some of the hunks gave her appreciative looks. She smiled a smile that said, "Look all you want; you are _not_ getting me."

Zatt and Petro were in the pool wearing swimming trunks. Zatt had brought his own from his home galaxy, because they were specially made for a Nautolan. He impressed the other swimmers by staying underwater longer than any of them, up to three minutes, the time it usually takes for a human to die from lack of oxygen. A lifeguard was alarmed by this, and almost "rescued" him, if it weren't for the fact that Zatt was still quite actively swimming through the water, instead of thrashing about, like someone about to drown. Petro, unable to find a way to exploit Zatt's instinctive swimming talents, chose to just float on a raft in the center of the pool and challenge the Earthling kids to make him fall off, which they found very hard to do.

These activities went on all afternoon: Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Hondo gambled at the casino, Ahsoka, Ganodi, Byph, and Gungi played at the Games of the Gods Arcade, Satine and Padmé sunned themselves by the pool, Zatt and Petro played in the pool, and Barriss took Katooni to see the IMAX movie theater. When it was a little bit past 4:30 PM, they rendezvoused a little ways outside the casino and discussed dinner plans and what to do afterwards.

* * *

"Can we have casual dining again tonight?" asked Petro, who evidently didn't care much for fine dining.

"Actually," said Satine, "I was thinking it might be good to eat at one of the finer restaurants in the Luxor, and Obi-Wan agreed with me just now."

"I agree, too," said Padmé, "I was thinking the Luxor Steakhouse might be a good place to eat. There was a steakhouse at Circus, Circus that I had hoped to eat at, but I decided to humor the wishes of the rest of you. I'd like to have _my_ wish fulfilled tonight."

"What? You can't be serious!" said Ganodi, "Fine dining is so… boring, and even if it wasn't, you know I have trouble eating steak. _All_ Rodians can't eat steak!"

"Ganodi, behave yourself!" Ahsoka admonished her gently.

"Yes, we know Rodians can't eat a steak, Ganodi," said Obi-Wan patiently, "Actually, I was discussing with Anakin and Barriss that the four of us, Anakin, Padmé, Satine, and myself could enjoy eating at the Luxor Steakhouse, while Barriss and Ahsoka find a more casual restaurant for themselves and you boys and girls."

"Like what?" asked Zatt. Gungi voiced the same question.

"We don't know, said Anakin, "You guys decide on that."

"Whew!" Ganodi said, again forgetting her manners. "That's good." Ahsoka pinched her on her arm. "Ow! What was that for?"

Ahsoka frowned at her. Ganodi swallowed and shut her little mouth.

"What about me?" said Hondo, "Who should I eat with?"

"You decide that, too, Hondo," said Obi-Wan.

"Then, I'm eating with the little ladies and the kiddies," he chose quickly.

"It's settled, then," said Padmé, "Is there anything we can do or see after supper here?"

"You know," said Barriss, "There is a show at 7:00 PM called the Blue Man Group. We'd have to eat a little quickly, but it's supposed to be a real feast of visuals and music. And the performers, who act as mimes, are covered in blue makeup like greasepaint from head to toe."

"Do we have any tickets for this show?" asked Anakin.

"Yeah, we do," said Katooni, "Barriss picked them up in-between our second and third IMAX films. One ticket for each of us."

"Well, then, let's hurry up and eat!" said Ahsoka.

"I couldn't agree more," said Hondo.

So the older adults ate some beautifully cooked steaks at the Luxor Steakhouse, while Barriss, Ahsoka, Hondo, and the children ate at the Luxor Food Court in Little Caesar's Pizza. Those of them at the Steakhouse were most impressed by the quality of their steaks, especially Anakin, who said, "Impressive. Most impressive." Those at the Food Court chowed down like little animals on their tasty pizzas, except for Barriss, who ate hers with a little more manners. After they finished eating at Little Caesar's, they had some delicious dessert at Swenson's Ice Cream.

* * *

A half hour or so before 7:00 PM, they got in line for the Blue Man Group show. It was a rather long line, but eventually, they got inside. The younglings wanted to know what kind of entertainment the Blue Men did, and Barriss explained that they played very unusual musical instruments that they made themselves while doing very unusual mime movements. Katooni and Ganodi giggled together. Ahsoka advised them not to laugh too loud during the show, in order to not disturb the audience too much.

When the lights went down at seven, the three Blue Men came out and started their act. Surprisingly, most of the extragalactic guests at the show found it quite intriguing and even a little funny. Obi-Wan and the little girls chortled when the Blue Men did their pelvis moments, for example. But what really got to them, though, was their instruments. Those guys played with things made out of tubes and pipes, as well as giant wind instruments, too. They even used special drums that spurted out some kind of water or other liquid. Luckily, they weren't sitting close enough to be splashed by it. The colors were dazzling, as well.

The highlight was when one of the Blue Men played music on something called "the PVC instrument." There were hundreds of feet of PVC tubing making it up. It made amazing sounds and kept changing color as he played it.

When the show was over, they all gave their own critique of it. Obi-Wan, Anakin, Hondo, and Ahsoka found it awesome. Satine and Padmé were almost dizzy from the constant light show they saw, and said they wouldn't go out of their way to see it again, but it was still pretty good. Barriss, Katooni, and Ganodi thought it was both cute and funny. Zatt, Petro, Byph and Gungi were confused, saying they "just didn't get it…" the show was that unusual.

By now, it was getting late, and they all agreed it was time to go back to the Orleans again and get some rest. Drawing lots again for which resort/casino they would go to next, they ended up with The Mirage. The younglings were mostly excited with going there, saying that they knew there were a lot of animals there, and some other "really good stuff" to see and do, so after a quick little shopping at the Cairo Bazaar by some of the adults, they returned to their rooms again and awaited the next day of fun.


	4. The Mirage

_**The Mirage**_

* * *

Ahsoka, Zatt, and Ganodi were very awed at the appearance of The Mirage Hotel & Casino. The way the hotel towers linked together into a triple building of sorts was certainly unique, even for a Las Vegas hotel, and that structure outside with the water flowing around it looked almost like something one would see on a tropical island.

"Is that thing what I think it is?" asked Petro, pointing at the structure.

"If you think it's a volcano, you are more or less right," said Barriss, "although it isn't the usual kind. It isn't like the real volcanoes we would find on Saleucami or Mustafar. It's modeled after the volcanoes on tropical islands that keep their soil very fertile, except that it doesn't contain real magma or lava. Flames shoot out of it every fifteen minutes during the night, usually from 7:00 PM to midnight."

"I heard that this 'volcano' has more bang to it than it did years before today," said Obi-Wan, "It has taller explosions, more fireballs, and apparently there's a soundtrack from a music band called, oddly enough, the 'Grateful Dead.'"

"Oh, boy! That looks fun!" said Ganodi. "We have those all over Rodia! It's a swamp world, but a tropical swamp world. Many Rodians who don't get involved with the Jedi or with bounty hunting like to vacation on those islands, and a few of the richest Rodians even have themselves their own private islands."

"We already knew that, Ganodi," said Obi-Wan.

"Yes, so you did," she replied.

"Hey, Ganodi," said Ahsoka, "Remember your promise, you will behave yourself today better than you did yesterday, or one of us is taking you back to the Jedi Temple early, got it?"

"Yes, Ahsoka," said a surprisingly chipper Ganodi, "You can count on me today."

"Don't worry, Ganodi," said Katooni, "I'm sure this place will be much more fun than you found The Luxor to be."

"I don't doubt it," Ganodi said. "Like I said, this place reminds me of my home world. How can it fail to entertain me?"

"I agree with Ganodi," said Zatt, "Glee Anselm has even more tropical islands than Rodia, and that's where I feel most at home."

"Then let's stop chattering out here and go inside," said Anakin.

"Maybe when we're finished for the day," suggested Padmé, "We can come out and take a look at the volcano erupting. I remember you all found the light at the pinnacle of The Luxor quite impressive, even Ganodi."

The younglings cheered. Gungi's roar startled a young Earthling child and his mother, who quickly hurried away from the strange people.

* * *

A short distance inside the front doors, the company came upon the front desk where guests checked in and checked out. They didn't need to check in, but something behind the desk caught all their eyes.

"Wow! Take a look at that aquarium!" said Katooni breathlessly.

"I didn't know Earth-people could make one so big," remarked Petro, "or filled with so many fish."

"Wow! Those fish look like they could be just as at home on Glee Anselm, or maybe Mon Calamari," said Zatt. "What are some of them called, and are they saltwater fish?"

"I believe they _are_ saltwater fish," said Ahsoka, "I've never seen this place before, but those don't look like freshwater fish to me. I agree that they could possibly be comfortable on one of our galaxy's ocean worlds."

"As to what they are," said Barriss, "I have a good memory, but not a photographic one, of what they are. I think those triangular fish are angelfish, and those chubby fish that look like they are going to expand themselves are puffer fish. Some of the more colorful fish are tangs. I even recognize three different kinds of sharks in the tank. Sharks, of course, are cartilaginous predators that feed exclusively on tough meat. They're often opportunists, and will eat whatever's available if they're having trouble finding their regular food."

"Awesome!" Zatt exclaimed, "I wonder if any of them are for sale to be taken as pets?"

"No, I don't think so, Zatt," said Anakin, "This is a privately owned aquarium, and it can't afford to sell fish that most people don't know how to properly care for."

"_I_ could care for a few," Zatt argued.

"I'm sorry, Zatt, but that's the rule here," said Barriss, "None of their exhibited animals are for sale to the guests, period."

"Oh, well," said Zatt, "It was worth a try."

"I can feel some humidity coming from somewhere," said Ganodi suddenly, "Where do think it's coming from?"

Byph said that he felt it too. Satine said, "I think they're both right. I'm starting to sweat a little in here. Could that be it, that way?" She pointed just beyond the main entrance.

"Oh, they call that the Atrium area," explained Barriss, "It is a tropical attraction with a wide variety of exotic and beautiful flowers and plants, including over five hundred palm trees and orchids. It's supposed to resemble a lush tropical rain forest."

"Hey! Let's go in there!" begged Zatt. "I'm almost as much in my element in a rain forest as I am in water!"

"Yeah, it'll be fun!" said Ganodi.

Byph looked interested, too; after all, his home world of Ithor was a rain forest planet that his people kept well preserved and beautiful. Gungi wasn't so sure; even though he loved trees, he preferred the thick wroshyr and trees of Kashyyyk. Katooni said, "I wouldn't mind." Petro complained, "Do we have to? I feel sluggish in the heat and humidity, and a good Jedi warrior needs to be alert and active."

Most of the adults agreed that the Atrium was worth looking at, even Hondo. "If most of the children can handle it, so can I," he said. Of the adults, only Barriss didn't want to stay there long.

"I'm a Mirialan," she said, "and Mirialans sweat profusely in the heat and humidity. It makes me very uncomfortable. Why don't I go ahead quickly with Petro and Gungi, while the rest of you take your pleasure of the Atrium?"

They all agreed that this was a good course of action. So Barriss walked at a faster pace than the rest of them through the "rain forest," while the others partook of the sights for several minutes.

After a couple of minutes, some of them were sweating as well. "I can see why Barriss finds this so uncomfortable," said Padmé, "Even I can feel the bite of the moisture, and I have been on a lot of humid planets, including Rodia."

"Aw, chin up, Senator Amidala," said Ganodi cheerfully, "Look at me. I'm not the least bit bothered by this forest. Piece of cake."

"Easy for you to say," said Padmé, "You're a species born and bred for moist atmospheres, and call me Padmé here on Earth!"

"Yes, Padmé," squeaked Ganodi.

"Padmé does have a point, Ganodi," said Katooni, "Although I think this is one lovely forest they've got here. After climbing an ice wall on Ilum, I'd love to try climbing one of those palm trees."

"I think that requires special skill," said Ahsoka, "something you're not used to, Katooni. But I also think climbing the trees are also against the rules. You might get us all in trouble if you try that."

"Hmm," said Katooni, "Maybe the things we can do at The Mirage _are _kind of limited, after all."

"Come on!" said Satine. "Like Ganodi said, chin up! We're here to have fun with what we _can _do, not to complain about what we _can't_ do. Why don't we leave the Atrium now and catch up to Barriss? Then maybe she can tell us what else there is to do here."

"I was about to say the same thing, Satine," said Obi-Wan dryly, "It looks like you're always a step ahead of me in our affairs-I mean, business."

"That isn't what I hear, Obi," Satine smirked. Anakin and Padmé snickered. Obi-Wan gave them a sidelong look.

* * *

Outside the Atrium, they soon caught up with Barriss and the other children. She told them that they had found a video arcade near the pool area, and Petro and Gungi asked to go there. Byph asked to go with them, too. "Man, you kiddies really love your tech games, don't you?" said Hondo.

"I suppose you'll want to go as well, Zatt?" asked Obi-Wan.

"Actually, not this time," Zatt said, to their surprise, "At least, not at first. I wanna know if there are any other attractions here worth seeing that involve animals."

"Zatt, I didn't know you loved animals so much," cracked Katooni with a smile.

"Just because I enjoy fiddling around with technology doesn't mean Master Fisto's love for nature hasn't rubbed off on me," Zatt answered.

"And I suppose I'll be the babysitter again," Ahsoka said more as a statement than a question.

"That _is_ what you promised us you would do, Snips," said Anakin.

"Yes, of course, Skyguy." She grinned playfully.

"Hey, you haven't called me that in a long time!" Anakin remarked.

"Doesn't mean I can never say it again," Ahsoka smirked. With that, she took Byph, Gungi, and Petro to find the arcade.

When they were gone, Anakin asked, "So what are the rest of us going to do?"

"I don't know about the rest of you," said Barriss, "but I've got another date with the casino. I hear this resort has some of the best Pai Gow Poker on the Strip, at least among family-friendly resort/casinos."

"Frankly, I'd like to milk some Earthlings of their profits, myself," said Hondo, "So I'm going to try that card game they call 'Let it Ride.' Maybe I can make some of these human chumps take a ride home, bankrupt!"

"Easy, Hondo," said Obi-Wan, "Don't get too greedy, particularly in a galaxy which you are not native to. You need your common sense."

"Relax, Kenobi," said a smiling Hondo, putting a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder, "You know that pirates know what they are doing when they want to be rich, don't you?"

"That's what worries me," said Obi-Wan.

"Come on, Master Obi-Wan," said Katooni, "Let Hondo have some fun. It's not like he can take his dollars and coins back to our galaxy with him."

"Oh, very well," Obi-Wan submitted, for Katooni's sake. "Have fun, Hondo. But don't cheat at any of the games you play. If you get caught cheating, we could _all_ be in big trouble."

"Take it easy, my dear Kenobi," said Hondo, "I would have it no other way!"

* * *

As for the rest of them, Barriss directed them to the Royal White Tiger Habitat, a place with some lovely big, white cats called tigers for view. Then she suggested that they move on to Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. It was her opinion that The Mirage was one of the best-looking family-friendly hotel/casinos on the Strip, and the tigers, dolphins, and other exhibited animals were proof of that.

Their large group eventually found the two habitats of the exotic animals. They all looked on in awe once again. These animals were unlike anything they had ever seen before. The white tigers' milk-white coats of fur contrasting with their black stripe patterns were something they couldn't take their eyes off of for minutes at a time. In fact, one young man got impatient with them standing motionless in a good viewing spot, as if they had never seen a tiger before in their lives. Ironically, that was true, and Katooni almost said so, but Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at her, and she quickly stopped herself. They heard that these tigers lived in a natural habitat called the Himalayan Mountains, and that the men who were in charge of their shows once, Siegfried & Roy, magicians and illusionists, had quit their job of hosting and performing their tiger shows, partly due to a tiger attacking them non-fatally some years ago.

Moving on to the Secret Garden, they saw even more animals the likes of which they had never seen. There were exotic panthers, both uniform black and spotted, and the white lions of Timbavati, and more royal white tigers, some of which were almost pure snow-white. Even some ordinary tigers, with natural orange-and-white-and-black coats, were on display. They were not copies of exotic animals from their own galaxy; they looked like they had their own individuality to their species.

Then, they moved on to the Dolphin Habitat, where they had the dolphin pool. They watched a show in which the dolphins did some excellent acrobatic feats and mucked about in the water having generally a good time. The human trainers seemed to communicate with them, talking to them and nodding with them, and offering them treats.

Zatt and Ganodi, two water-based beings, felt like the trainers weren't getting down to the root of the dolphins' personalities, or their joy at what they were doing. Obi-Wan and Anakin heard them whisper something to each other, but dismissed it as simple gossip at first. Suddenly, Zatt and Ganodi stripped down to their undergarments and ran down to the water, jumping in and startling the female trainer.

"Now wait a minute! No spectators are allowed in the water with the dolphins!" she said, "You're messing up the tank! Oh my! Those kids don't look human, unless they're in some kind of costumes!"

Indeed, for Zatt the Nautolan and Ganodi the Rodian were now swimming in the tank with the dolphins. Satine and Padmé stared. Katooni had laughed. So did many other kids, though some were startled to hear that there were aliens in the pool. Obi-Wan and Anakin clapped their hands to their faces.

Zatt and Ganodi looked like they were trying to do their own communication with the dolphins. Zatt swam under the water beside them, getting a feeling for the way the adults communicated with their body language and their signals, while Ganodi got a little playful with a baby dolphin calf. Then Zatt, who was an expert on communicating with underwater creatures, said some un-pronounceable sentences in Nautila, the native language of the Nautolans, to them. At least, spoken on land, Nautila was impossible to understand, but underwater, he could talk on a personal basis with the dolphins. He and Ganodi petted the dolphins, but more in the way one would hug a friend, rather than the way one would stroke a dog or a cat.

The trainer, not sure what to do, called the supervisor, but then, finally, Zatt and Ganodi resurfaced with the dolphins, and they looked like they had done something quite productive (from their point of view) with the cetaceans.

"The dolphins would like you all to know," shouted Zatt, "that while they feel happiest in the open ocean, they appreciate the treatment they've been getting here, and they love having fun performing in the tank. They also want their trainer to know that her belief that she's their best friend is true. These little guys almost couldn't be happier to see you all."

The trainer stared. "Is that really true?" she asked sheepishly. One of the dolphins nodded intelligently. To the surprise of Obi-Wan and the others, the mystified audience applauded. They made various comments among themselves.

"I didn't know there was an E.T. that could talk to the underwater animals!"

"This should be made into national news!"

"What are those kids, exactly?"

And so on.

Ganodi giggled as the dolphin calf tickled her bare feet. She splashed about a bit with the calf hot on her tail. Katooni couldn't stop laughing at their antics. Neither could the other children at the show.

Just then, the supervisor arrived. "What in hell is going on?!" he demanded to know when he saw the scene before him. The whole area became very quiet except for the noises of the dolphins. Anakin gave Obi-Wan an, 'uh, oh' look. Katooni looked nervous.

"Mindy," he said to the trainer, "What are these little weirdoes doing in my tank? They're messing everything up!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Arnold," said Mindy, "They just jumped in without warning, and, uh, they were moving too fast for me to risk grabbing them. Besides, one of them didn't come up for a breath of air for five minutes, something I thought no child could do."

Mr. Arnold stared at Zatt and Ganodi balefully. "Get out of that pool, now!" he yelled. They obeyed. He looked over their wet alien bodies and asked, "Where are your parents, assuming you have any?"

"Actually, we don't know where they are," said Ganodi. "In fact we don't even know-"

"Uh, we're responsible for their welfare," said Obi-Wan as he, Anakin, Satine, Padmé, and Katooni stepped up quickly. "We're sorry about their misbehavior. We'll punish them in any way we deem fit."

Mr. Arnold grumbled under his breath. "Well, you certainly look like you all belong together, because you all look stupid to me!"

Anakin glared. Arnold glared back. Obi-Wan nudged Anakin. Satine slapped Arnold, telling him what she thought of people who dared to call one such as herself "stupid." Padmé said something similar.

"I've had enough of this," said Arnold, "All of you, leave the Secret Garden at once! And make sure your kiddies take their clothes with them!"

"I just gave their clothes back to them, mister," said Katooni, "And frankly, I don't appreciate you treating them so shabbily. They're good kids. They mean well."

Arnold just looked at Katooni coldly. "Just go," he said impatiently, "And hurry up about it!"

* * *

As soon as Zatt and Ganodi were dressed, they all retreated back into the main building while Mr. Arnold apologized to the audience about the "disturbance." Before long, they were met with the sight of Ahsoka, Byph, Gungi, and Petro, fresh from the arcade action.

"It's too bad they don't have these kind of games where we come from," said Ahsoka, "because the boys sure had a ball yet again playing like heck."

"I don't doubt it," wisecracked Obi-Wan.

"Petro," said Katooni, "You missed all the excitement. Ganodi and Zatt took a dip in the dolphin tank with some dolphins and told some home truths about the dolphins' feelings to the audience."

"They also nearly got us all in big trouble," said Anakin, "I was afraid I might end up lashing out at that Arnold man."

"Hey! That sure does sound like excitement!" said Petro. "I wish I was there!"

Byph and Gungi asked what dolphins were.

Zatt explained how they were medium-small cetaceans that ate a diet of fish, needed air to breathe, and formed bonds with humans (and Nautolans and Rodians). Ganodi commented on how cute and playful the little calf had been.

Barriss and Hondo rendezvoused with them shortly afterward, with some winnings from the casino.

"Looks like Hondo Ohnaka just cost a famous card shark fifty dollars on a big bluff," Barriss remarked. "I, meanwhile, aced an elegant card game called Baccarat."

Obi-Wan looked at Hondo. "I hope that bluff wasn't a cheat, Hondo," he said.

"Aw, here we go again," Hondo said exasperatedly, "I _told_ you, Kenobi, even if I _was_ a cheater when playing cards, I wouldn't dream of it in a strange place which I don't come from. You're so testy!"

"Baccarat," said Satine thoughtfully, "That sounds like the sort of game that well-dressed, rich people would play together."

"That's the way it usually is," confirmed Barriss, "although sometimes it's also played by more casual people in casual clothes. You and Padmé should try it sometime."

"Maybe we will," said Padmé. "You never know when we might get an opportunity."

"So, what now, then?" said Anakin. "I sense that it's getting a little late in the day already."

"Really? That fast?" said Ahsoka. "Wow, time really _does_ fly when you're having fun."

"The casino owners know that people play more if they don't know what hour of day or night it is," said Barriss. "That's why casinos don't normally have clocks in them. If someone wants to know what time it is, they have to have their own watch on."

"Blast!" said Ahsoka. "I just remembered that I never had lunch today!"

"Me neither," said Katooni.

"I don't think any of us have had any lunch today," remarked Anakin.

"Well then," suggested Obi-Wan, "Why don't we all have a big dinner in one of the restaurants in this resort? There's probably something that will take all of us."

"How about Moongate?" Satine suggested. "It has entrées from a country called China, and it's supposed to include some delicacies we can all agree on, like deep-fried prawns, egg rolls, barbecued spareribs, whatever those are, and crab rangoons."

"I want to eat there!" said Katooni. "Spareribs sound like something I'd like."

"Me too," said Petro. Gungi agreed with him.

"I wanna have some crab and prawns!" said Zatt.

"Let me have some egg rolls!" said Ganodi.

Byph voiced disagreement due to his herbivorous nature.

"Then I guess we'll have to split up again," sighed Obi-Wan.

"Obi-Wan," said Barriss, "I'd be willing to take Byph to Carvings: The Mirage Buffet for some vegetarian food. I prefer buffet food myself, anyway."

"I'll go with you, Barriss," said Ahsoka. "No sense in a couple of close friends being separated from each other for long."

"I don't think anyone here has a problem with that," said Anakin hopefully.

"Something tells me we may never get the chance to all eat together at the same fine dining restaurant," mused Obi-Wan, "But I won't interfere in anyone's affairs when it comes to eating. Feel free to take Ahsoka and Byph to the buffet if you want to, Barriss."

* * *

So it happened: Ahsoka, Barriss, and Byph went to have some light food at Carvings, while the others went to Moongate for some Chinese food. Of course, they didn't know ahead of time that reservations were recommended (Barriss never told them that), so they had a 45-minute wait before they got a table for the ten of them. A few adults in the waiting room got uptight with Hondo looking at them with his "evil eye," but Katooni did her best to ease their fears.

Because of their long wait for a table, and because fine dining restaurants usually serve more slowly than casual dining does, Ahsoka, Barriss and Byph finished long before they did. Suddenly remembering the recommended reservations at the Moongate, Barriss told Ahsoka and Byph why their companions were in there for so long, and she and Ahsoka offered to take themselves and Byph shopping for a while.

For a little over an hour, they shopped. But they couldn't find much that was worth getting. Ahsoka liked the look of some of the sportswear in the Actique store, and Barriss admired some of the designs in "Donna Karan New York" (DKNY), but nothing was worth getting for a couple of growing Jedi Padawans. Byph, however, who regretted passing on seeing the animal habitats of Siegfried & Roy, asked them to buy him a book about the white tigers and other animals at The Mirage. Ahsoka also picked up a couple of Mirage souvenirs, a cup with the volcano on it, and a crystal with The Mirage and its logo embedded on it, thinking Ganodi and Zatt might like them. These were purchased at The Mirage Collection shop.

At last, the others finished their meal and paid the bill. Barriss, Ahsoka and Byph met them by one of the shops.

"You wouldn't _believe_ how long we had to wait," said Anakin. "Barriss, I believe you forgot to tell us that we needed a reservation to get in fast."

"Yes, I know, I'm sorry," said Barriss, "But at least we got some shopping done while you were finishing up. We got this cup and this crystal for you, Ganodi and Zatt, respectively. They are linked to The Mirage Hotel/Casino and its logo. I thought you might like them."

"Hey, thanks, Barriss," said Ganodi, "Maybe I can convince the Temple cafeteria to keep this cup handy for me every day at mealtime."

"Yeah, thank you, Barriss," said Zatt. "The Mirage Hotel looks really cool in this crystal."

"Actually, you should thank Ahsoka for that one," said Barriss, "She bought it for you."

"Thank you, Ahsoka," said Zatt.

"You're welcome, Zatt," said Ahsoka.

"Hey, I hate to disappoint you all," said Anakin suddenly, "but Barriss told me about all the shows The Mirage shows, and I don't think any of them are entirely family-friendly. It looks like we just ran out of ideas for things to do here."

"Except one," said Katooni.

"What's that?" asked Anakin.

"Remember? We were promised that we could watch the volcano erupt at least once before leaving The Mirage for good."

"Yes, we did agree to that," said Padmé, "Well, then, on our way out, we can watch the volcano."

"Yay!" the kids cheered.

* * *

About fifteen minutes later, they were standing outside in the growing darkness of night and watched as real flames spurted out of the volcano's top, and smaller flames seemed to bellow out around the volcano's sides out of the water. The whole thing blazed a brilliant red and yellow.

"AWESOME!" the younglings all said together.

"An artificial volcano that actually works," remarked Obi-Wan, "Las Vegas continues to amaze me."

"There should be one of those on Kashyyyk," said Anakin. "It might fit well with the Wookiees' Life Day celebrations."

Gungi said something that Anakin interpreted as, "We have no need for fake volcanoes; if we wanted an eruption on Kashyyyk during Life Day, we'd just travel the distance to find a real one."

Anakin blinked. "Oh, well, it was a good theory."

"Well, I suggest that we go back to the Orleans again and have some more shut eye," said Satine.

"Any idea where we're going tomorrow?" asked Petro.

Obi-Wan thought for a moment. "Instead of drawing lots, this time, we'll decided with group opinion in the morning. We have three places left to visit, and we want to get the most out of this vacation as we can."

Everyone agreed to this.


	5. Mandalay Bay

_**Mandalay Bay**_

* * *

Mandalay Bay was certainly one deluxe-looking hotel/casino, they all thought as they entered said hotel the next day. As soon as Zatt heard that there were more water features in this resort, he had begged to see it, and Ganodi and Byph had backed him up passionately. Katooni and Gungi also were keenly interested in the sights at this resort, but Petro was a little less than excited, because he wanted more action, and Mandalay Bay wasn't well known for its excitement, except for when it came to its shows and its casino.

"Isn't there something that I can enjoy here?" Petro pleaded. "I can't enter the casino, and I've already seen my share of animal exhibits at The Mirage."

"Of course there are some things for you to enjoy, Petro," said Ahsoka, "so cool your jets. Mandalay Bay has an artificial beachfront built under cover from the street, and Barriss tells me that they have a regular swimming pool, a wave pool, and a realistic beach complete with sand, among other things."

"A real beach?" asked Petro. "Well, why didn't you say so before? I'd like another chance to give Zatt a run for his money on the water rides!"

"If you couldn't tolerate the water flume at Circus, Circus as well as I could," said Zatt, "believe me, you won't outswim me in those pools or in that little 'ocean.' Face it Petro, you can't win at everything."

"Maybe not," said Petro, "but I can win at a lot of things. And I'm gonna be the greatest Jedi warrior of the Order's next generation!"

Anakin chortled. "Keep thinking that way, Petro," he said, "The galaxy loves an optimist."

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows. "I know the feeling, Anakin," he said dryly.

"I'd like to see this beach for myself," said Satine, "It sounds like my kind of place to relax and get in a good swim."

"Me, too," said Padmé, "What sorts of features does this beach have, Barriss?"

"Well," said Barriss, "It has multiple pools and a Lazy River, where you can ride an inner tube and float down an easy-flowing river of water at your leisure. There are also cabanas for guests, and some sort of Moorea Beach Club, although I doubt if we can afford to visit the beach club, because we don't have the money, and we're not staying here long, anyway. Finally, there's a beachside casino in a medium-sized building adjacent to the beach, where adults can play Craps, Roulette, and Blackjack in their swimsuits."

"Hmm," said Satine with her lover's signature dryness, "I could never encounter any such thing on Mandalore."

"Some parts of Naboo have waterfront gambling," said Padmé, "though I never participated in any of it myself. It's really popular with the Gungans. You can't get near the casinos on the weekend!"

"Nice," thought Ganodi out loud, "but you won't catch me anywhere near those silly old casinos. I wanna see the beach, and this thing they call the Shark Reef!"

"It was hard to do," said Barriss, "but after Zatt's imploring, I managed to talk the people who take care of the Shark Reef to let him take a dive in the Reef with the sharks. It took a lot of convincing, but diving in the tank is permitted, and after explaining how he doesn't need a scuba tank because he can breathe underwater, they were surprisingly obliging. I also had to encourage them a little, because divers normally have to be 18 years of age or older."

"Did you use a mind trick on them, Barriss?" asked Padmé curiously.

Barriss looked playfully innocent. "No, of course not," she said sweetly. "Well, okay, maybe a little. But I didn't make too much influence over their minds, honest. It's hard, you know, to convince Earth humans to let an amphibious alien boy dive in their Shark Reef with the fishes of their own world."

"Did you tell them I was a Nautolan?" asked Zatt.

"No," said Barriss, "I didn't. I didn't think they would understand that, even under Jedi mind influence. I thought it would be enough for them to know that you're amphibious, and need no scuba equipment."

"Oh," said Zatt. "Well, that's all right. I didn't really expect the people here to understand anything about Glee Anselm, anyway."

"Excuse me," said Katooni, "but can we go inside now? We won't see anything if we stand around outside talking about this all day, and besides, we can't keep lingering out here where the crowds of people pay more attention to us. People are starting to look at us funny!"

Byph voiced his embarrassed agreement with Katooni.

"Yes," agreed Hondo, "This is not my kind of fun, being stared at like the people have never seen a Weequay before. It almost tempts me to retaliate in my own, stylish way."

"Now, Hondo, don't do that!" admonished Obi-Wan, "You don't want us to all get in trouble with the law here! The police of this world are bound to treat us with even less respect than the ordinary citizens are."

"Take it easy, Kenobi," said Hondo, his palms outward, "I just made a joke. I'm not serious."

"Well, you know I can't entirely trust you, Hondo," Obi-Wan replied, "You're a pirate, remember, and pirates are not known to be men of their word."

"Okay, okay!" Ahsoka interrupted. "Enough of this small, serious talk! Let's just go inside and have fun, all right? Everyone?"

"Suits me fine, Ahsoka," said Barriss.

"We agree," said Padmé, meaning herself and Satine.

Everyone else nodded. Hondo shrugged. Katooni grinned.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" said Ahsoka.

* * *

Inside, they made their way to the Shark Reef first. It was a little ways from the entrance, but it was worth the walk. There were several places within the Reef to check out. They started off with a rounded tank full of invertebrate fish slowly and smoothly gliding through the water.

"What are these?" asked Zatt. "They look a lot like the Moappa on Mon Calamari."

"They're jellyfish, Zatt," said Barriss. They're very common in the oceans of Earth. They're also dangerous, because they can sting an animal, or a person, with a very powerful sting that can cripple or even kill them."

"Wow!" said Zatt. "Just think what Glee Anselm or Dac would be like like animals like these in their waters!"

"They're beautiful!" breathed Katooni. "I've never seen Moappa in person, but these jellyfish sure remind me of them."

"I sure wouldn't want to run into one of these during a swim, though," said Ganodi, "There are so many of them, I don't know if I could evade all of them if they came at me all at once."

"Don't worry, Ganodi," said Ahsoka, "You're almost as good a swimmer as Zatt. Surely, you can outswim a bunch of slow jellyfish."

"I hope so," said Ganodi, "Not that I'm likely to run into any in the water, anyway."

"Hey, Zatt," said Barriss, "I'd better get you ready for your little dive before it gets too late in the day. You only have a limited time to have fun in the water."

"I was about to say that myself, Barriss," said Zatt, smiling.

"And Zatt," said Barriss, "Even with mind influence, you still have to follow the safety rules and regulations of diving in the tank, and that means no manhandling of the fish or other creatures, and showering both before and after the dive."

"But Barriss," protested Zatt, "Nautolans are naturally clean creatures. And dirt and underwater chemicals don't stick to our rubbery skin, either."

"Even so, the humans here don't understand that," said Barriss, "and they can't bend or break their rules for any reason at all. So shower first, Zatt, and do it again after you're finished."

"Aw, these guys worry too much," complained Zatt, "But if you say so, Barriss, I'll do what you say. Can you take me there?"

"Of course I can, Zatt," said Barriss. "Right this way."

"Now," said Obi-Wan, "How are the rest of us going to split up for our own activities? Who's going where, and with whom?"

"I'm not hanging around this Shark Reef," said Petro, "I wanna go to the beach."

"I wanna watch the fishies," said Ganodi. Gungi agreed with her. Byph and Katooni wanted to see the beach with Petro.

"Somebody should stay with Ganodi, Gungi, and Zatt," said Satine.

"Oh, no," said Hondo as they looked at him, "I've had enough of being a babysitter. If it were Katooni, that would be another matter, but not the others."

Ganodi glared at him. "You don't like us, do you, Ohnaka?"

"Well, I didn't necessarily say that-" said Hondo.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "Hondo, treat _all_ these good little younglings with respect, or I'll personally-"

"No threats, Snips," said Anakin sternly. "We're supposed to have fun here, not turn on each other."

"Yes, master," said Ahsoka, "But tell that to Hondo, too."

"I already know it, little Ahsoka," said Hondo. "I can hear you as well as you can hear Skywalker."

"I'm going to the beach," said Padmé, impatient with all this derisive small talk.

"I'll join you, Padmé," said Satine.

"I'll watch the younglings by myself this time," said Ahsoka. "I don't mind doing it alone sometimes."

"Then I'll go to the beach with Satine," said Obi-Wan.

"And I'll go with Padmé," said Anakin.

"I'd like to try out the beachside casino," said Barriss, who had just arrived back from setting up Zatt's dive.

"I think I'll just go find the regular casino," said Hondo, "though the beachside casino sounds mighty attractive. I don't want people staring at my so-called 'unusual' appearance."

"Then let's get started without any further debate," said Satine.

* * *

And so much of the afternoon was passed in that way. Ganodi, Gungi, and Ahsoka walked about the Shark Reef attraction, enjoying the sights of the other fish and sea creatures in the Reef tunnel, ranging from sawfish and rays to giant sea turtles and sharks. Soon, they saw Zatt swimming in the tank, shirtless, evidently having the time of his life playing with the animals.

Zatt saw a Whitetip Reef Shark approaching him. He wasn't familiar with the species' name, but the fish seemed genuinely interested in him and swam up close. Some kids and their parents watched in surprise and alarm to see the amphibious alien in the tank, not to mention seeing the shark swimming up to him as if it was going to eat him. A few kids wondered if Zatt was a new creature on display in the Reef's main tank. But Zatt wasn't afraid. Though his head-tentacles were shorter and less mature than Kit Fisto's, they could nonetheless feel the feelings and emotions of the animals around him, and he knew that this shark wasn't hungry at the moment, only curious. So he calmly closed the distance between himself and the shark, and patted it on the back of the head gently, then rubbing it with care. The fish seemed to like that, and nuzzled Zatt's side. Zatt soon did a similar experiment with a green sea turtle, and the turtle seemed to like him even more than the shark did. Evidently, an innocent little underwater boy like Zatt was very good at making underwater friends.

"Hey, look at that!" said Ganodi. "Zatt's making friends with all those cute fishies! I wish I were in there with him!"

Gungi laughed.

"I'm serious, Gungi," she said indignantly, "I _do_ wish I was in there! Of course, I would probably have needed that scuba equipment, since I can't breathe underwater."

"I'm sorry, Ganodi," said Ahsoka," but I'm afraid it's too late now. We're at this particular resort/casino one day only, and Barriss already made the arrangements for Zatt to dive in alone."

"Aw, what a jiff!" said Ganodi. "But I guess a Jedi can't gain the whole galaxy. Only Sith can do that."

* * *

In the meantime, most of the others had found the Mandalay Bay's beach and pools, and were now getting ready to have an enjoyable time by the water. Before starting, though, they picked up some sunscreen and towels and other amenities at a shop called Surf Shack. Anakin arranged for him and Padmé to have a temporary cabana, since they liked their privacy, and Anakin needed to hide his mechanical arm. Obi-Wan put on a T-shirt and shorts, and Satine put on her bikini, and they sat in the sand by the water, enjoying each other's company. Petro, Byph, and Katooni put on their own swimsuits and took to the different pools. Byph, ever the lover of easy and un-scary occasions, rode the Lazy River, Katooni swam in the regular pool, and Petro splashed around in the wave pool. Barriss put on a black bikini that contrasted nicely with her olive green skin, and asked to enter the beachside casino, where her company was accepted, though a few people looked in puzzlement at her geometric tattoos on her hands and face. And Hondo? Like he said, he went on to Mandalay Bay's regular casino, saying something about wanting to try his luck at Baccarat.

Needless to say, the Lazy River didn't disappoint Byph. It was a nice and easy ride, and he found it easy to relax in it. Katooni got some good exercise in the regular pool, and generally had a good time of her own. Petro took joy in the big waves splashing all over him, and even got permission at one point to surf in the pool's waters. In short, the kids all had a blast.

Anakin and Padmé had a nice, quiet moment to themselves in their cabana. They had so few times to be alone with each other, and now, they had some time to be intimate in a lovely atmosphere. Anakin, though, was shy about showing off his mechanical arm in public, and was glad that nobody tried to spy on them, not even their own companions.

Obi-Wan and Satine were in each other's arms on the beach. They, too, never thought they'd have a moment like this, and Obi-Wan was sorely tempted again to leave the Jedi Order for her, though his commitment to the Force prevented him from giving in. Satine liked the way Obi-Wan's hands brushed her bare skin on her back and abdomen, and wished they could do this back on Mandalore, or even in a nice, comfortable bed. _Oh, well, _she supposed, _I guess you have to enjoy what pleasures you can have and hold them dear, rather than dwell on what you can't have._

Barriss, for some reason, found gambling in a bikini to be very liberating. She was used to, and preferred, her dark robes most of the time, even though she would sometimes wear a dark jumpsuit on certain occasions, but she found it easier to take joy in what she was doing if she had fewer barriers between herself and the world. She wasn't very lucky at the Roulette wheel, but the Craps table brought out her excited side, the side that had a zest for life, and she managed to win pretty well at Blackjack. In fact, she was the star attraction at the Blackjack tables. She could hear people cheering for the "Indian/Middle Eastern woman with the tattoos." She blushed, but she kept her composure.

* * *

Most of them forgot to keep track of time, even Barriss, but as the sun started to get low in the sky, the companions at the beach decided to wrap up their activities and find the others. Eventually, they met up with Hondo, Ahsoka, and the other younglings near the exit to the Shark Reef.

"Would you believe the nerve of those people?" complained Hondo. "They told me I wasn't allowed to play Baccarat because _I wasn't dressed right,_ and because _I looked like a spook!_ They suggested that a guy like me would be better trying his luck at the Poker tables. Racial discrimination! And a dress code for a simple card game! They would never do this to me in my own galaxy!"

"Well, based on the way pirates like you and your gang handle yourselves, I'm not surprised, Hondo," remarked Obi-Wan.

"Oh! There he goes again, the righteous General Kenobi, always thinking he knows what's best for everyone!" said Hondo sarcastically, "Why don't you just admit it, Kenobi, that I'm a dirtbag, through and through?"

"Master Obi-Wan doesn't think of you that way, Hondo," Katooni tried to assure him.

"That's very nice of you, little lady," said Hondo, "but I don't think a kiddie like you can convince a grown-up who's set in his ways of much of anything."

"Why not?" interjected Ahsoka. "Katooni and her clan taught _me_ a few things, like how brave they can be."

"If you say so, Ahsoka," said Hondo, "But you know that pirates like me are generally looked on as scum and villainy by Obi-Wan Kenobi and his kind."

"The wave pool was a blast!" interrupted Petro, hoping to break the tension, and wanting everyone to know what he thought of his day. "Even Zatt couldn't outperform my surfing talent."

"Really?" Said Ganodi, "He sure did a heck of a good job swimming in the Shark Reef for hours without ever coming up for a breath."

"Yeah, Petro," said Zatt, "Everyone knows that I'm the best swimmer in the Jedi Order, except for Master Fisto, of course."

"Oh, really?" said Petro, "Why don't we go back to the beach and test that theory out?"

"I'm game," said Zatt, grinning.

"Enough!" said Ahsoka sternly, "No more arguments about who's better at what! Zatt and Petro are _both_ good at their own stuff, but these constant quarrels about water sports are getting to us grown-ups. Now stop arguing and be content with what you have with yourselves and each other, right? Zatt? Petro?"

Zatt and Petro hung their heads for a moment. "If you say so, Ahsoka. We're sorry."

"That's better," said Ahsoka.

"That's impressive. Most impressive," said Anakin, primarily meaning the way his Padawan handled herself.

"Thank you, master," said Ahsoka appreciatively.

"Technically, Ahsoka's not a grown-up yet, you know," Satine reminded them.

"Perhaps not, Satine," said Obi-Wan, "But she still serves as a sort of grown-up mentor for these children."

"Say, everyone," said Padmé, "Can we find a way to spend the rest of our day here enjoyably? We're running out of time, and we shouldn't waste precious time."

"Why don't we go to a show after supper?" asked Barriss. "I already got some tickets."

"It's amazing that you're always one step ahead of us when it comes to watching the shows, Barriss," remarked Anakin. "What's the show?"

"It airs at 7:00 PM, and it's called _Mamma Mia!,"_ explained Barriss, "It's a smash-hit Broadway musical, appropriate for all ages except very little kids and babies. It's about this mother, her daughter, three possible dads, and a pending wedding. Many people enjoy it, and it's very popular."

"Suits me fine," said Obi-Wan and Satine. "We agree," said Padmé, speaking for herself and Anakin.

"I wouldn't mind," said Ahsoka.

"Neither would I," said Katooni. "Wouldn't you guys agree?" She turned to her youngling friends. They agreed for the most part.

"I don't feel any desire to go to a domesticated show," said Hondo, "So, if you all don't mind, I'm going back to the casino. Maybe those Video Poker or Slot Machines will grant me a small fortune."

"And I liked the look of a causal dining restaurant called the Noodle Shop," said Obi-Wan, "Why don't we all eat there tonight?"

Everyone agreed, though Gungi didn't look especially eager to eat Chinese cuisine.

"Not me," said Hondo, "I'm not hungry. I think I'll just find one of the bars or lounges and get a drink or three there."

"You're no fun at a deluxe hotel, Hondo!" said Katooni.

Hondo looked at her. "Well, Katooni," he said, "let's just say that a pirate such as myself is not fit for deluxe cuisine. I've got to eat and drink the finer things in life." Then he walked off to find the casino again.

"The 'finer things in life,'" remarked Ahsoka, "I wonder what he means by that."

"It's probably best if we all don't know," said Obi-Wan, "especially in front of the younglings."

"But I'd like to know what the finer things in life are," said Ganodi.

"If Masters Windu and Yoda deem it to be all right for you to know, we'll explain it to you when we're older," Obi-Wan assured her.

"Yeah," said Ganodi disappointedly, "But the Clone Wars are eating away at the Jedi Order's numbers, and I don't know whether or not I'll make it to the end of the war, though I sure hope I do."

"Then keep hoping, Ganodi," said Ahsoka, "We all need hope in these dark times. And as Master Yoda says, 'Always in motion is the future.' You never can be sure what it'll bring."

So saying, they all went for their quick supper at the Noodle Shop, crowding the place quite conspicuously, and then head to see _Mamma Mia!,_ before going back to the Orleans Hotel again for the night. Hondo, meanwhile, continued to gamble his fortune away at the casino, but he was surprisingly lucky at the Slots he was playing on, and had a fair amount of money to show off when the day and evening were over.


	6. Excalibur

**_Excalibur_**

* * *

For some reason, the next hotel/casino they were going to, the Excalibur, felt almost like a home away from home for the Jedi Knights. Perhaps it was because of the castle-like appearance of the resort's exterior. Katooni had to admit, too, that the colors, red, white and blue, were quite attractive, if slightly tacky. It was guaranteed to be an excellent next destination for the people from a galaxy far, far away.

"What's this resort like?" asked Petro. "I hope that it's a lot more entertaining than Mandalay Bay was; that joint was boring, except for the beach and pools, of course."

"Petro," said Katooni scoldingly, "Your manners. We're with authority figures here, remember?"

"I know, Katooni," said Petro, "But that doesn't mean I have to like _everything_ about this trip."

"Katooni is right, Petro," said Ahsoka warningly, "If you don't mind your manners, you might miss out on something you might have enjoyed."

"Fine," sighed Petro, "I'm sorry, guys."

"I'm still curious about the features of Excalibur myself," said Anakin. "What exactly is it?"

"It's a resort/casino that's largely a family-friendly resort, like Circus, Circus," said Barriss, "While Circus, Circus had a circus and carnival-type atmosphere, Excalibur is more medieval in appearance and attractions. Employees dressed up as knights, jesters and other Middle Ages people walk throughout the building, entertaining the guests and acting incredibly realistically. It also has an entertaining show based off of medieval times called the Tournament of Kings. I imagine the younglings will love it, because it's supposed to involve exciting horse-riding, sword-fighting, and jousts, and the audience gets to eat a hearty meal while watching the show."

"Wow. That sounds like fun," said Zatt, "I've always wanted to see a battle in action with more primitive weapons used to fight with, even if it is a fake battle."

"You get to eat _and_ watch an exciting show?" said Ganodi, "I'm in!"

Obi-Wan chuckled. "I'm sure we'll all get something out of this," he said, "But we've got to figure out our schedule while we're here before we start having any fun. After all, we're not all doing the same things, are we?"

"I would surely think not, Kenobi," said Hondo, "But why exactly did you choose this resort/casino as our next destination? Another kiddie-friendly joint?"

"You could put it that way, Hondo," said Anakin, "We adults have been taking charge of where we go since we left Circus, Circus, and we thought the kids deserved to have some fun at a more child-friendly resort again right about now."

"Well," said Hondo, "I suppose the kids do deserve a nice, cute place to have a ball again. The Luxor, The Mirage, and Mandalay Bay were certainly more adult-oriented than Circus, Circus."

"Good," said Obi-Wan, "Then, I for one would also like to see this Tournament of Kings, too, so I can accompany the younglings to it."

"I think I'll try out Mini-Baccarat at the casino," said Satine.

"I hear there's an all adult women's show called Australia's Thunder From Down Under," said Barriss. "I'd like to see that while you see the Tournament show."

"What exactly is that show, Barriss?" asked Ahsoka.

"It's a strip show of sorts," said Barriss, blushing a little. "It's supposed to be fun, but classy, with a light-hearted atmosphere in the show. There's gorgeous men, loud music, dancers, and drinks, and there's no tipping, as well."

Ahsoka blanched. "Well, I don't know how you can enjoy such a show, Barriss," she said, "But I don't think I'll go with you, and not just because of the age limit. That just isn't my kind of thing. I'll stick with the younglings and watch the Tournament of Kings."

"And I thought Jedi couldn't enjoy strip shows," said Hondo. "Shame on you, Jedi!" He smirked.

Barriss blushed fiercely. "It's just a... bold curiosity, Hondo," she said. "Nothing personal."

Padmé stifled a giggle. "I'd like to join Satine at the casino, myself."

"I'll go with you, Padmé," said Anakin, "The slots still call to me, and maybe a game of Craps would help me lighten up, too."

"Are all of you children okay with the Tournament of Kings?" Obi-Wan asked the younglings.

"I'm in," said Petro.

"Me too," said Zatt.

"Me three," said Ganodi.

Byph spoke enthusiastically. Gungi roared with excitement.

"Uh, what else do they have there for entertainment?" asked Katooni. "The Tournament show sounds fun, but I like my medieval entertainment to be a little tamer."

Barriss brainstormed. "Well, there's the Glockenspiel Fairy Tale, an audio-animatronic show presented over the giant clock at the rear entrance of Excalibur. There's also the Court Jester's Stage, where entertainers like singers, jugglers, magicians, and puppeteers rotate throughout the day, presenting ten-minute shows every forty-five minutes."

"I'll watch those shows if Hondo comes with me," Katooni offered.

Hondo looked at her, amused. "You just can't let go of me, can you, kiddo?" he said.

Katooni grinned. "Nope, I guess not," she said in a chipper voice.

"Just be careful where you lead your uncle Hondo Ohnaka," Hondo responded, "I can't be expected to like everything a kid likes."

"Aw, don't worry, Hondo," said Katooni, "It'll be lots of fun. You'll see."

"Then I say we stop standing here talking about it and get a move on," said Obi-Wan, "or we'll have very little time to enjoy ourselves."

"Very good idea, Obi," said Satine, "I was about to suggest that."

* * *

So now, they were on their way. Satine, Padmé, and Anakin went to Excalibur's casino, like they said they would. It was pretty impressive looking, but they soon learned that there were plenty of low minimum-bet gaming tables and many penny, nickel, and quarter slot machines. Evidently, this casino catered to the casual gambler as well as to high rollers.

Anakin was especially pleased to see this, because he didn't like to spend lots of money in a place where he didn't have to, and went for one of the slot machines. He started to pull the handle, and he won, lost, and broke even. This went on for quite some time. After about an hour or two of playing this game of chance, he had won a small fortune with his luck. Encouraged by this, he decided to go to the Craps tables for some more exciting gaming.

At the Craps table, Anakin rolled the dice more often than anyone else, believing that he was jinxed, and could get good luck at any time. But he made the mistake of not controlling the dice with the Force, and also the mistake of betting quite a lot of his winnings from the slots on the Craps table. In the end, he was left with the same amount of money that he started off with, which wasn't a lot. He had squandered his small fortune!

"Oh, well," thought Anakin, trying not to show his disappointment, "You win some, you lose some. I should know that by now."

In the meantime, Satine had found a Mini-Baccarat table. She had dressed for the occasion, in one of her better Duchess dresses, and some of the other players looked at her funny. Some others, however, thought she looked like royalty, ironically enough, and didn't mind so much. It didn't take her too long to get the hang of this easy game. Although not a gambler by profession, Satine soon had a pretty good idea when to bet on the bank position and when to bet on the player position. She didn't win a fortune, but her talent earned her a modest amount of cash, and she thought that, for a game with so few rules and such a simple structure, Baccarat was a classic that could provide constant hours of enjoyment.

And while that was happening, Padmé tried out Blackjack. It felt good to have a slight advantage over the house in this game, and she found it to be one of the best adult games she had ever played. Then she went to the Keno lounge and tried betting on the Keno numbers. That was a little trickier, though, and Padmé decided that Keno wasn't her kind of game. _But of course, you can't love them all_, she thought to herself.

* * *

In another part of the resort, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka had gotten tickets for themselves and the younglings for Tournament of Kings, and they were getting ready to enjoy the show as they took their seats in front of a medieval-styled table. They soon learned that there was no silverware, and no napkins on the table.

"Uh, Master Obi-Wan," said Ganodi, "Where are the knives and forks. And the napkins, too? I thought they'd have them. Every other restaurant has had them."

"I don't know, Ganodi," replied Obi-Wan, "Maybe it's part of the show. Maybe having no silverware or napkins is more medieval-like, or maybe they think that the guests don't mind getting their hands a little dirty."

Byph said something in Ithorese.

"What did he say, Petro?" asked Zatt, "I wasn't paying attention."

"He said that, being an Ithorian, with an affinity for plants and animals and the dirt that they live in, he has no problem getting his hands a little dirty," said Petro.

"Well, that's good to hear," said Obi-Wan.

Gungi rumbled a little.

"Yes, we know that dirt clings to fur easily, and doesn't wash off fur as easily as skin," said Ahsoka, "But just try not to get your fur in the food, Gungi. I know you can do it; after all, even Wookiees don't grow hair on the palms of their hands."

Gungi rumbled hopefully.

About ten minutes later, when everyone who was admitted was seated and the show was ready to begin, a man came out onto the dirt-and-sand stage and spoke into a microphone. He was dressed up in a costume consisting of a knight's armor. He welcomed everybody to the Tournament of Kings, explained what they would be viewing in the show, and said that as the show began, some royal subjects would come out and provide everybody with some complimentary medieval food.

Next, same "royal subjects" came out with plates of food. Soon, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and the younglings were provided with a multicolored meal, consisting of soup, Cornish hen, potato wedges, steamed broccoli, a dinner roll, and a drink. After being told what kinds of drinks the Tournament of Kings served, the younglings asked for soda, Ahsoka asked for iced tea, and Obi-Wan asked for coffee. They were told that later in the show, they would be provided with dessert.

They all looked at the food. They decided that they'd just have to eat it with their hands, some with delight, like Byph and Ganodi, and others with reluctance, like Gungi and Obi-Wan. After all, that seemed to be what everyone else was doing. They all dug in.

At last, the show began. For the next hour and a half, the costumed performers played in the most amazing show these Jedi had seen outside of their own galaxy. Brave knights on real horses rode throughout the theater, charging each other, jousting, or pursing or fleeing each other. In each joust, the noble white knights always conquered the sinister black knights. Wizards cast magic spells at dangerous foes. One of their most spectacular spells was fire-throwing, which was very effective not only at scaring away enemies and monsters, but at making the audience go, "Ooh! Ah!" too. Byph, who was only eating the vegetables and dinner roll, was quite startled by each fireball the wizards let fly, but that was nothing compared to what eventually happened next.

Soon, scary dragons joined in the action. Of course, they weren't real dragons, but Byph still looked fearful when he saw them. The knights and the wizards "fought" them with all their power and weapons, until the dragons were "slain." Then the real action began. Whole armies of knights and warriors assembled at opposite ends of the theater, preparing for outright battle. On their mark, they marched against each other and fought a magnificent battle in the arena.

Soon, the younglings unconsciously realized that they, the audience, were also the stars of the show, just as much as the knights, acrobats, and horses, because they found themselves cheering for the various knights, wizards and armies as the show went on. They also found themselves singing in sing-alongs as the action unfolded. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan watched the antics of the younglings with amusement, even as they watched the show. Ganodi, in particular, seemed to be enjoying the singing. Petro cheered every moment of the show. Zatt was as wide-eyed as a Nautolan could be. Gungi was transfixed.

At last, the show ended. They got up from their seats, and Ahsoka suggested they all find the nearest restrooms, to wash up and relieve themselves.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," said Obi-Wan.

"You know," said Zatt, "It's a lucky thing that we were sitting several rows away from the main arena area. A few of the people in front of us were having sand from the arena kicked up by the horses into their food."

"Yes, I couldn't agree more," said Obi-Wan, "It was tricky enough eating Cornish hen with my fingers; I could certainly do without sand in my food at the same time."

* * *

As for Katooni and Hondo, they were viewing the Glockenspiel Fairy Tale at the rear of the hotel interior. Curiously enough, even Hondo seemed to find it fascinating, though Katooni was clearly enjoying it even more.

"Pretty good fairy tale, don't you think, Hondo?" asked Katooni.

"As a space pirate," said Hondo, "I haven't had any experience with fairy tales myself, but this one certainly seems like the kind of story that will keep little kiddies like you and your pals filled with wonder at the creativity of the universe for a very long time."

"I hope it lasts for our entire lives, to the very days we die," said Katooni, "because Master Yoda always says that children are remarkable for looking at the universe with wonder and seeing things for what they truly are rather than what we want them to be."

"Hmm, your little old Grand Master sure has some interesting wisdom," said Hondo. "That idea had never occurred to me before. Maybe I grew up too quickly. Maybe my boys and I should start thinking like a child from time to time, too. It might prevent us from getting in so much trouble with the troublemakers we always tangle with."

"It's not too late to view the universe with wonder like my friends and I," said Katooni, "Try it sometime, Hondo. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."

"I'll think about it," said Hondo, "It makes me feel much safer to have a pal like you, little Katooni. But don't go telling anybody that, you here? I don't want my enemies to think that I'm going soft."

"You can count on me, Hondo," said Katooni, grinning. "My lips are sealed."

"Thanks a lot, kiddo," said Hondo, grinning back.

When the Fairy tale show was temporarily over, they moved on to the Court Jester's Stage. Plenty of performers were showing off their talent there. Minstrels were singing ballads. Some jesters were juggling. Magicians did magic tricks that made Katooni realize that the Jedi were not the only people with their tricks to perform in front of other people. And puppeteers used puppets to act in miniature stages, telling other stories of fairies and heroism.

"You know what I like best about this and that clock show?" said Hondo.

"What's that?" asked Katooni.

"They were both free," said Hondo. "I didn't have to worry about buying tickets for them."

Katooni blinked. "That's it? Surely you've gotten more out of them than a cheap price, Hondo. These jugglers and magicians are awesome, and the singers and puppeteers are very talented, too."

Hondo looked at her. "Relax, youngling," he said. "I just meant that I don't always have the money we need to see these attractions. The Court Jester's Stage is terrific, too, you know."

Katooni smiled again. "Thanks, Hondo," she said, "I knew you'd come through."

"Yep, there's confident Katooni all over again," cracked Hondo. Katooni laughed.

* * *

A while later, the members of their group all rendezvoused near the Castle Walk Food Court.

"Well," said Katooni, "Hondo and I enjoyed our time watching the jesters and the Glockenspiel show. How about the rest of you?"

"You missed an awesome show, Katooni," said Petro, "Knights, dragons, wizards, invading armies, and riding beasts called horses!"

"Yeah, we had the time of our lives," said Zatt.

"I love the Excalibur almost as much as I love Circus, Circus," said Ganodi.

"Really?" said Padmé, "Did you think it was great, too?"

Obi-Wan replied, "It certainly had its moments. It was one wild show, and I can see now how this resort is more popular with kids than with adults."

"It was a lot of fun," said Ahsoka. "Our hands got a little dirty from eating food without silverware or napkins, but otherwise, it was pretty good. How was the casino?"

"I think Baccarat, particularly Mini-Baccarat, has surpassed Blackjack as my favorite card game," said Satine.

"I say Blackjack is better," said Padmé, "But Keno isn't so good, not even the Video Keno machines."

Ahsoka looked at Anakin. "And how about you, master?"

Anakin looked sheepish. "I made a small fortune at the slots, but then I lost it all at the craps tables again," he said.

Ahsoka snickered. "That's my master. And you, Barriss? How was Thunder From Down Under?"

Barriss replied, "Actually, I didn't watch the whole show. It got a little too raunchy, even for my tastes, and I couldn't view any more. Besides, the loud music was getting to me, so I left the theater and went to the day spa for a massage instead."

"Sounds like a nice, cleaner way to spend your time," remarked Obi-Wan. "Was it any good?"

"Oh, yes," said Barriss, rolling her neck muscles, "I feel like a new woman now."

"Well, good," Obi-Wan said. "Now how about we have a little light food and then do a little shopping, and then we'll call it a day?"

He got a chorus of agreement.

"Where shall we go to eat, Obi?" Satine asked him.

"The Castle Walk Food Court isn't far from here," said Anakin, "How about we stop at a few of the joints there and get something to eat and drink?"

"A food court?" said Ganodi. "Oh, goodie! I can't wait to eat some yummy food."

"Me neither," agreed Petro, Katooni, and Zatt. Byph and Gungi also responded in the affirmative.

* * *

And so it went. At the Castle Walk Food Court, they each had something different. Katooni and Petro had caramel popcorn from Popcornopolis with Ahsoka. Obi-Wan and Satine drank some coffee from Starbucks. Anakin and Padmé had some drinks at the Big Chill. Gungi got a cheeseburger from McDonald's. Zatt had the House Special Chicken from Pick Up Stix. Byph had a vegetarian pizza from Pizza Hut Express, and Ganodi ate a hot dog from Hot Dog on a Stick.

Later, they went looking through some of the shops at Excalibur. Barriss and Ahsoka each got a pearl in an oyster at Kingdom Pearl Factory. Obi-Wan and Satine got some good clothes for the latter at Marshall-Rousso. Anakin and Padmé got a photo souvenir from Amazing Pictures. Hondo explored the Excalibur Shoppe for souvenirs with the Excalibur logo. The younglings convinced the grown-ups to let them get some toys from the Jester's Court.

Finally, as night was falling, they agreed that it was time to go back to the Orleans again. "This leaves just one more resort/casino to visit," said Obi-Wan, "and of course, that's Treasure Island, a pirate/treasure-hunting themed resort."

"Hmm, sounds like my kind of place," said Hondo, "Maybe I can convince some of my boys to stop indulging in the more adult resort/casinos and join me in the fun at this quaint little place."

Katooni laughed again. "I'd love to see that happen."

Anakin and Obi-Wan shared a look. "Oh, why do I get the feeling that this last choice was a big mistake?" moaned Obi-Wan.

"I don't know, master," said Anakin. "I guess the will of the Force has destined us to remain close to Hondo's pirates forever." Padmé and Satine giggled, though Satine, too, was not looking forward to Hondo Ohnaka going "Yo, ho, oh, and a bottle of rum," at Treasure Island the next day, especially if his men were going to be with him.

So saying, they walked back to the entrance and exited Excalibur, the second dream vacation resort of the young Jedi, and prepared themselves for one more day of fun, games, and wild thrills.


End file.
